Forests Canada Announces Award Winners Making a Difference in Forest Conservation and Education
- From the annual collection of millions of viable tree seeds to building a comprehensive network of experienced planting partners who care about the long-term health of Canada's forested landscapes, non-profit charity Forests Canada is a leading advocate of healthy ecosystems and economies.
BARRIE, ON, Feb. 27, 2025 /CNW/ - As Canadians face the growing threat of extreme weather events, high-intensity forest fires, and biodiversity loss, Forests Canada hosted The Forest Conference on February 19 and 20 in Mississauga, Ontario to bring experts from different fields together to talk about how we can conserve, restore, and grow Canada's forests. During the conference, Forests Canada announced its annual award winners and would like to congratulate the following award recipients:
The Forests Canada Award | Malcolm Cockwell: This award is presented to individuals for outstanding achievements in, and contributions to, the field of forestry in Canada and beyond.
A Registered Professional Forester who holds a Bachelor of Science and a PhD from the University of Toronto's Faculty of Forestry, Malcolm is the Managing Director of the Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve and served on the Forests Canada board for over 10 years, including as Chair. Malcolm is also a leader within the forest sector, acting as Chair of Acadian Timber Corp., acquiring several Canadian forest businesses, and bringing global innovations to Canada. Malcolm was instrumental in helping to shape the national direction for Forests Canada and was valued for his time, experience, and knowledge, as well as the important business lens he brought to the organization.
The Maple Leaves Forever Ontario Envirothon Award | Guy Smith and Ron Casier: This award recognizes individuals or organizations which have demonstrated exceptional leadership, involvement, or dedication to the Ontario Envirothon.
Guy holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of Toronto. After 36 years of employment with the Canadian Forestry Service in many different roles, he retired in 2022 but has maintained his involvement with the Ontario Envirothon program for over 30 years, since its inception in the Algoma region in 1994. Guy's guidance and support have enabled students to compete confidently, work effectively as a team, and develop a deeper understanding of the natural world through hands-on outdoor education.
Ron is the longtime coordinator of the Southwestern Regional Envirothon and has played a pivotal role encouraging students to participate in Ontario Envirothon, as well as coordinating and managing events, workshops, and competitions. He has also worked to ensure that access to Ontario Envirothon is equitable by arranging funding for the regional competition from local school boards. As a retired teacher, Ron continues to dedicate countless hours to environmental education, nurturing a deep passion for nature and the environment in young minds.
The Green Legacy Award | Greenbelt Foundation: This award celebrates a visionary partner that has been instrumental in promoting a healthy environment for future generations.
The Greenbelt Foundation stewards two million acres of protected land, and they are the only charitable organization solely dedicated to the health and prosperity of Ontario's Greenbelt. Since 2005, The Greenbelt Foundation has invested and leveraged matching dollars totaling more than $47 million through investment in farming, restoration, environmental protection, and tourism projects. In the past few years, the Greenbelt Foundation has partnered with Forests Canada to support planting trees in the Greenbelt. By the end of this year, they will have supported the planting of over 750,000 trees to ensure that critical areas within the region are being restored with native forest cover.
The Forest Stewardship Award | Caroline Mach: This award celebrates individuals for outstanding activities in private land forest management and strong support of forest sector promotion and education.
Caroline graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of Toronto in 1993 and was Ontario's first County Forester. She spent nearly 30 years as the Manager of the Dufferin County Forest, where she wrote and delivered two forest management plans, and was responsible for all aspects of those plans including harvesting, ecosystem service values, and climate change implications. Caroline was also instrumental in developing the Dufferin County Outdoor Recreation Plan and was involved with the Dufferin Simcoe Land Stewardship Network, a not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the responsible care and use of land and natural resources in Dufferin and Simcoe Counties.
The Most Valuable Planter Award | Paul Giroux: This award recognizes an outstanding individual or organization for their contribution to restoring ecosystem health through tree planting initiatives.
Paul holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Lakehead University and has been working as a Registered Professional Forester since 2004. He is also a practicing certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. Paul previously worked with the City of Windsor as City Forester and is currently employed as a forester with the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA). Over the years, Paul's planting programs at ERCA have been directly responsible for the planting of over 500,000 trees with Forests Canada, working closely with rural landowners and sharing his passion for trees and their special relationship to his community.
The White Pine Award | Kashish Dhanoa: This award recognizes the contribution of students to the cause of forest education and awareness.
Kashish is currently a student at Western University in London, Ontario. Having previously competed in the Ontario Envirothon, she continues to be involved with the program – most recently as a multi-day volunteer with last year's Provincial Championship. Kashish was invaluable assisting as a trail guide, supporting workshops and testing stations, and helping to plan and deliver group social activities. She has also been active in other environmental and science awareness initiatives, including STEMing Up Student (2021), EnviroUSC External Events Executive (2024), and GreenSort Western (current).
The Melissa Spearing Award | The Spearing Family: This award was created to celebrate Melissa's accomplishments and contributions to the field of forestry and her passion for collaboration and partnership.
Originally from Bethany, Ontario, Melissa passed away in late August 2024 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Through her work with the National Tree Seed Centre and Forest Gene Conservation Association, Melissa was passionate about knowledge sharing and bridge building - she knew how to make connections with people across the conservation field and was never shy to share her knowledge. Melissa was a passionate steward and protector of nature, and while her loss has been felt by the conservation community, she has also been memorialized by this award and the opening of a memorial fund at the Kawartha Land Trust.
More information about The Forest Conference is available at www.ForestsCanada.ca/Conference.
About Forests Canada
From the annual collection of millions of viable tree seeds to building a comprehensive network of experienced planting partners who care about the long-term health of Canada's forested landscapes, non-profit charity Forests Canada is a leading advocate of healthy ecosystems and economies. With interactive education programs inspiring the next generation of forest stewards, and high-quality restoration programs supporting local jobs and communities, we have proudly built the infrastructure needed to ensure the greatest possible outcomes for Canada's forests from coast to coast to coast.
We conserve, restore and grow Canada's forests to sustain life and communities. Visit www.ForestsCanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or LinkedIn to find out more.
SOURCE Forests Canada